When an atrio-ventricular valve of a human's heart becomes defective, it has been customary to replace the valve with a man-made mechanical valve or a porcine bioprosthetic valve. While these replacement valves normally prolong the patient's life, there are complications involved. For example, ventricular dilatation is common after mitral valve replacement since the chordae of the replacement valve are detached from the papillary muscle and ventricular wall, thus allowing distention of the left ventricle. Also, with tissue valves such as the porcine bioprosthesis valve, the cusps normally are attached to artificial struts and a sewing ring, which in turn are sutured to the annulus of the removed valve. These struts may result in ventricular perforation or injury to the bioprosthetic valve cusps during insertion. Furthermore, since the bioprosthetic valve is attached to struts and a large sewing ring, the use of such valve causes post operative pressure gradients and therefore cannot be used in situations requiring use of a small valve. Thus, the function of the patient's heart is not maximized by the use of artificial or bioprosthetic valves in small valve replacement situations.
Therefore, the primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a total atrio-ventricular valve replacement using all the structure of an atrio-ventricular valve as a prosthesis.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of an atrio-ventricular valve bioprosthesis which preserves the functioning aspects of the atrio-ventricular valve, including the atrial wall for contraction of the annulus, the mobility of the annulus, the valve leaflets, the chordae tendonae, the papillary muscles, and the ventricular wall.
A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a method for replacing a defective atrio-ventricular valve in a human patient which decreases thrombotic complications and minimizes post operative gradients across the replacement valve.
Yet another objective of the present invention is an atrio-ventricular valve bioprosthesis which preserves and restores the ventricle size and configuration so as to prevent ventricular dilatation.
Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a non-strutted atrio-ventricular valve replacement, which eliminates ventricular perforation and suture injury.
A further objective of the present invention is a method of replacing a defective atrio-ventricular valve with a tissue atrio-ventricular valve configuration matching that of the recipient heart.
Still a further objective of the present invention is the provision of an introducer device for installing a total atrio-ventricular valve prosthesis.
These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention.